Product reviewsNikon DX Zoom Nikkor 18-70mm F/3.5-4.5 AF-S IF G ED Lens

Under-rated Gem

This lens is extremely good value if you shoot on a cropped sensor dslr. Sharpness across the frame is maintained if stopped down a little. Minimal distortion, some light fall off. Never had a problem with flare or chromatic aberrations. Seems to have great resolving power outperforming my d300s sensor resolution, giving very sharp results on that camera. very light weight. Gives great contrast /micro contrast allowing for superior monotone results. I compared this lens with some famously sharp Nikon manual focus lenses such as the 28mm f2.8 ais, and it was at least as sharp as most at comparable focal lengths/aperture settings. I have used this lens for 80% of my shots for many years, with results that always pleased.Read full review...

Verified purchase: No

Nice!

Lovely little lens to use as a ' just leave it on '. It' s pretty light and has the perfect zoom range for a DX camera. Has it' s quirks such as the zoom and focus rings being ' the wrong way around '. The wide end of the range is pretty cramped too. This is really nit picking though and as they can be had for not a lot of money, you really should take a punt. You won't be disappointed.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: minieggs6

Great Value. Fast Autofocus. Everyone should have one.

Purchase used on eBay for $165.
Took it out of the box, notice this version of the lens has Nikon Corp, Japan written on it and not Made in Thailand. I am starting to believe I got an earlier version that was made in Japan. The lens is small, can almost cup it in one hand.
It feels slightly heavier than the 18-55mm VR. Not too much difference.
When mounted on my D80, the first thing I notice is the very fast autofocus, and did I mention very quiet, silent autofocus. When using manual focus, it is a bit uncomfortable because the lens barrel is so short and the focus band is very close to the zoom band. It takes a bit of getting used to.

Overall, as much as I like the VR on the 18-55mm, this lens is much nicer, because of its metal mount and sharp pictures. And since I do make use of my monopod, I don't feel losing the VR is a big deal. This lens and the 70-200mm VR completes my bag and make me a very happy person.Read full review...

This is a stellar preformer with extremely sharp picture quality

I paid just over $100 for this lens. It had a little dust so I took it in to the Nikon Svc Ctr and had it cleaned for another $25. It was in just as new condition after the cleaning. I say these things to be relitive to condition. The lens performs absolutely wonderfuly. I have many lenes that work on my D5100 18-55 vr, 55-200, 70-300 vr and many AF and manual Nikkor lenes. This is the lens I prefer on my camera, even over the 18-55 vr. I wish it was vr but I cannot really tell. I prefer the 18-70mm to the 18-55mm because it is more usable indoors. Before I had this lens I was using the 18-55 which is excellent but I would have to change to the 55-200 to shoot at a wedding I attended because 55 just did not get close enough. The 18-70 is nearly perfect in zoom range and the pictures are extremely sharp. If the pictures are bad it is because of the Photographer (ie Me) not the lens. Because of this I have learned a great deal. I also LOVE the metal mount. I have always grabbed my cammeras by the lens which you should not do with the plastic mounts. The color, contrast and all the other technical stuff are superb. I like to take macro (close up) pictures and this does well. It is a DX lens and does not work correctly with film or FX digital cameras. It used to cost about $350 but with used (make sure in excellent shape and with camera stuff on e-bay ALWAYS insure) ones running just over $100 get one. It will be your lens of choice for many years unless you get one of those f2.8 $1000 Nikkor lenses. Operation and erganomics are wonderful. The combination D5100 and this lens is nearly perfect in all conditions. I wish this was the lens (with VR) in the kit. I think it is a full stop faster at the high end than the 18-55 which means alot. It is plastic but feels very professional in quality. To sum up the good:
Metal mount
Acurate AF
f3.5-4.5
Outstanding picture quality
18-70mm
Profesional feel
and the bad:
Plastic (but all new lenes are)
No VR
DX format (cannot use this excellent lend with my other film cameras, bummer)Read full review...

Who even needs the VR?

This lens is crisp. I can shoot a burst of three images and capture sharp portraits at 1/20th. The difference between 50mm and 70mm is very tight, almost hard to really tell unless your view finder can see 100%. I got mine for under $100 so it was a great deal. The lens diameter is 67mm so it gives the camera a perfect balance. the focus ring is near the back of the lens, that's weird to get use to but it is needed to get in tighter than the AF allows.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: procamerabuyers...

Early version kit lens

Better than the 18-55 having a faster aperture and longer focal length. Needs to be stopped down a little for decent sharpness and use 1/125th or faster to avoid any shake (if you are wobbly like me!) as no VR on this model. Metal mount and rubber weather seal. Great walk around lens.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: gsbeadsuk

Best lower cost, walk around Nikon lens.

This is one of the real "value" Nikon lenses. Along with the 28-105 mm Macro, they give much better image quality compared to the various kit lenses. Even though plastic, they feel solid and the 18-70 has weather sealing. Wide open the 18-70 shows a little softness on the wide end, but Photoshop easily fixes this. Same with wide distortion - pronounced barrel (but first order) is also easily corrected. I own 3x28-105's and 2 of the 18-70mm, no variation and none show any chromatic aberration, which I really hate. The last copy of the 18-70mm, I bought for just over $100 and looks new! Even the mount plate hardly has any marks. New glass has gone up so much in price that a high-quality, inexpensive lens is a good addition. Pair one of these with a low shutter count Nikon D70 or D50 body, and you have a very nice camera for only $250.Read full review...

The go to lens

This is my go to lens for my Nikon Digital. Great photos, great auto focus and very easy to use. Works with filters and really excells with my Nikor fish eye macro. Love this lens.

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: coopolive

Great travel Zoom for Nikon DSLRs

I wanted a basic lens for my backup DSLR, and one that I could use itself when I didn't want to carry an 18-200mm zoom. This lens is light, compact and works well on a DX format Nikon. It is not a VR lens, but I carry an f/1.8 50mm for low light situations, so the additional stops a VR lens provides was not an issue. I have now found that it can often replace the 18-200 altogether, making for a lighter and more compact carry. I treat these lenses kindly, so the non-metal body has not been an issue. This transaction was accurate, efficient and altogether excellent.Read full review...

a great buy and i am looking for a second one while they are still available

i was using a 18 - 55mm vr2 lens but needed a bit more reach and the nikon 18 - 70 gives that, after using it a few times i was well impressed with image quality, it matches the vr2
but aperture wide open i a stop faster and the manual focus overide is great, build quality is much better and a metal mount makes this lens more versatile, polarising filter does not rotate like it did on the 18 - 55, only downside is no vr but a lens this size vr is not missed,
steveRead full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: michael050778